renown

1 of 2

noun

re·​nown ri-ˈnau̇n 

1

: a state of being widely acclaimed and highly honored : fame

2

obsolete : report, rumor

renown

2 of 2

verb

renowned; renowning; renowns

transitive verb

: to give renown to

Synonyms of renown

Noun

• fame
• notoriety
• celebrity
• repute
• reputation

Examples of renown in a Sentence

Noun

He achieved great renown for his discoveries.

Her photographs have earned her international renown.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The fact that Coltrane first gained renown and made many of his initial breakthroughs in Davis’ band between 1955-60 provides one possible answer, says trumpeter Terence Blanchard, who got to know Davis as a young lion making a name for himself in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, circa 1982. —Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 28 May 2026

Tapping into the lifestyle space with the new shoe, the Aerocork looks to expand beyond Blundstone’s renown for being the original and winter-geared Chelsea boot brand. —Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 26 May 2026

His character, Jimmy George, is an actor and performance artist of a particular type of downtown renown. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 20 May 2026

While some of Na's fellow Korean genre masters, like Bong Joon Ho, have found global renown, for many cinephiles, Na is overdue for the kind of global introduction a Cannes premiere provides. —ABC News, 18 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English renoun, from Anglo-French renum, renoun, from renomer to report, speak of, from re- + nomer to name, from Latin nominare, from nomin-, nomen name — more at name

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing renown

• of renown

Rhymes for renown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

renown

noun

re·​nown

ri-ˈnau̇n

: a state of being widely known and highly honored : fame